VATICAN MFA AND MARTINO: DIFFERENT TAKES ON CUBA

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000055 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/30/2031 TAGS: KIRF SOCI PHUM CU VT SUBJECT: VATICAN MFA AND MARTINO: DIFFERENT TAKES ON CUBA REF: A) VATICAN 50; B) HAVANA 4451 CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Holy See Country Director for Cuba Thevenin made it clear in a recent conversation with us that the Vatican MFA (Secretariat of State) did not share Cardinal Martino's views on religious freedom in Cuba (ref a). He outlined the many ways in which the Church's activities were curbed, from restrictions on missionaries to the lack of Church publications in the country. Thevenin agreed with ref (b) that talk of a papal trip to Cuba was premature. In a previous conversation with the Ambassador (ref a),Cardinal Francis George of Chicago emphasized that Martino did not speak officially for the Holy See on Cuba and said that Cardinal Ortega did not share Martino's "appreciation" of Castro. Martino has the standing to make public statements on issues he covers. However, when he runs afoul of the Secretariat he creates problems. Only the pope could SIPDIS realistically stop Martino from sounding off - and he is unlikely to do so. Martino will continue to speak his mind, and confuse some observers as to the Holy See's official positions. End Summary. -------------- No Change of Vatican Position -------------- ¶2. (C) Holy See Country Director for Cuba Nicolas Thevenin was careful in his phrasing, but made it clear March 28 that he and others in the Vatican MFA (Secretariat of State) did not share Cardinal Renato Martino's rosy view on religious freedom in Cuba (ref a). He also said he had heard that some priests in Cuba were not pleased with media reports of Martino's opinions. Thevenin confirmed ref (a)'s conclusion that Martino's comments did not reflect any change of the Holy See's position re U.S. policy of Castro's treatment of the Church. -------------- RF Problems Persist -------------- ¶3. (C) When asked about Martino's insistence that he could not call the Cuban Church persecuted, Thevenin (who served most recently at the papal nunciature in Havana) was firm. "It depends what you mean. It's not China, but it's not free either," he said. Thevenin went on to outline the many ways in which the Church's activities were curbed, from restrictions on missionaries to the lack of Church publications in the country. "I would call it perhaps freedom of cult, but not freedom of religion," Thevenin concluded. Thevenin agreed with ref (b) that talk of a papal trip to Cuba was at the least premature. "I can't rule anything out, but we've seen how they spin these visits for their own uses," he said. "I can't imagine the pope would go unless we saw a major change in the dynamic there." -------------- U.S. Cardinal Reacts -------------- ¶4. (C) As noted in ref (a),Cardinal Francis George of Chicago touched on Cuba with the Ambassador in a meeting on the margins of the recent consistory, emphasizing that Martino did not speak officially for the Holy See. George said that Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega did not share Martino's "appreciation" of Castro. According to George, Ortega will be speaking at a meeting of the U.S. Bishops Conference this fall. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) As president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, a consultative body for the pope and Secretariat, Martino is entitled to make public statements on issues he covers. However, when he runs afoul of the Secretariat -- the Holy See lead on foreign policy issues - he creates problems. Only the pope could realistically stop Martino from sounding off - and he is unlikely to do so. Instead, Martino will continue to speak his mind, and confuse some observers as to the Holy See's official positions. As noted in ref (a),he is influential, and a frequent Embassy interlocutor. ROONEY